The Natural Resource Rural Tourism Initiative In Northern Ireland - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Natural Resource Rural Tourism Initiative In Northern Ireland Max Bryant Manager

CONTENTS

• Introduction
• The Origins Of The NRRTI Programme
• STL’s Objectives Through NRRTI
• Impact So Far
• Governance
• Highlighted Projects
• Conclusion

THE ORIGINS OF THE NRRTI PROGRAMME

• Arose out of the EU Programme for Peace and

Reconciliation

• A joint initiative from DARD, EHS and NITB
• DARD oversees the implementation of the

programme with local partnerships.

• NRRTI’s purpose is to ‘Maximise tourism

development by utilising natural and cultural resources in a sustainable manner in Northern Ireland’s disadvantaged rural areas’

NRRTI IN THE SPERRINS NRRTI IN THE SPERRINS

• 138 Projects

138 Projects

• Across 7 Council Areas

Across 7 Council Areas

• Taking in 31 Rural Disadvantaged

Taking in 31 Rural Disadvantaged Wards Wards

• Receiving

Receiving £ £3.4 million for Tourism and 3.4 million for Tourism and Product Development Product Development

Sperrins Tourism Ltd Sperrins Tourism Ltd NRRTI area NRRTI area

Example Wards

• Garvagh
• Feeny
• Draperstown
• Moneymore
• Gortin
• Banagher
• Castlederg

STL STL’ ’S OBJECTIVES THROUGH S OBJECTIVES THROUGH NRRTI NRRTI

• Increase the number of tourist nights

Increase the number of tourist nights

• Increase the average spend per night

Increase the average spend per night

• Increase the number of jobs in tourism

Increase the number of jobs in tourism

• Extend countryside access

Extend countryside access

• Develop new product and activity packages

Develop new product and activity packages

• Create opportunities for the two communities

Create opportunities for the two communities to work together to achieve these targets to work together to achieve these targets

ACHIEVING THESE OBJECTIVES ACHIEVING THESE OBJECTIVES

• Improving and developing accommodation

Improving and developing accommodation

• Creation of activity packages

Creation of activity packages

• Upgrading angling facilities

Upgrading angling facilities – – Ghille course Ghille course

• Developing cycling routes

Developing cycling routes

• Developing scenic routes

Developing scenic routes

• Supporting local festivals

Supporting local festivals

• Use

Use of effective

• f effective marketing campaigns

marketing campaigns

GOVERNANCE OF NRRTI GOVERNANCE OF NRRTI

• Assess and recommend schemes for award to

Assess and recommend schemes for award to DARD DARD

• Monitor projects and maintain the database and

Monitor projects and maintain the database and audit trail audit trail

• Process claims

Process claims

• Carry out post project evaluation and monitoring

Carry out post project evaluation and monitoring against the projects against the projects’ ’ original criteria

• riginal criteria
• Chase for spend

Chase for spend – – Project ends DEC 2006! Project ends DEC 2006!

IMPACT TO DATE IMPACT TO DATE

Increased spend 66% 2004 v 2005 Increased no. days stayed by 4% 2004 v 2005 Increased no. of nights stayed by 21% 2004 v 2005 90% of visitors believe that their trip to the Sperrins is good VFM

North Sperrins Scenic Route East Sperrins Scenic Route Central and South Sperrins Scenic Routes

Sperrins Hill Walking Festival – NRRTI Supported

Development of 12 circular cycle routes Installation of signage for those routes Production of guides and supporting marketing activity

Model Village, Moneymore Improvements supported through NRRTI

Woodfest at the Ulster American Folk Park One of the 22 local festivals and cultural events supported through NRRTI

Learmount Forest, Park Village NRRTI project

Sperrins Ballooning Festival NRRTI project

4 Angling Projects supported Through NRRTI

CONCLUSION CONCLUSION

• NRRTI has had a significant and visible impact in

NRRTI has had a significant and visible impact in developing and marketing the Sperrins base tourism developing and marketing the Sperrins base tourism product product

• The scheme ends 31

The scheme ends 31st

st December 2006 and all

December 2006 and all allocated monies must have been spent by then allocated monies must have been spent by then

• STL will continue to work with the industry and our

STL will continue to work with the industry and our funding partners to develop and market the Sperrins funding partners to develop and market the Sperrins

• n the solid foundation laid down by the NRRTI
• n the solid foundation laid down by the NRRTI

project. project.

• More funding is needed to build on the current

More funding is needed to build on the current successes. successes. WWW.SPERRINSTOURISM.COM